Something New
by Wamakai
Summary: Something new and wonderful... a happy accident. Second try at a RyoheixChrome fic. Hope you like it. Please R&R? Many thanks!


**Hello dear fans. I know I have seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, but this last bout of writer's block has been especially bad. I haven't had a drop of inspiration for all of nine months. Also I have been pretty busy what with graduating and getting a job as a writer (Yay! I'm a writer now!) I haven't had a lot of time.**

**I do hope, now that this plot bunny hopped by with some goodies, that I do actually find time to update my stories (especially Princess of Rogues) and to add a few new ones. Otherwise, here is a seriously crack pairing I have tried in the past and failed at. I hope this one does this couple some justice at least. Please let me know what you think? Many thanks!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own KHR nor do I claim any rights to it or any of the characters in this fan fiction story that you may recognise from the anime/manga. I am only responsible for the plot.**

It had happened as a mistake. It wasn't that either of them was really in any position to deny that fact, but somehow, that didn't make much of a difference.

The party they had attended had gone on rather late. Ryohei had been celebrating with the others and having the devil of a good time. Chrome had been sitting off to the sidelines. She did, however, drink quite a bit so that was the mistake on her part. She hadn't wanted to socialise with anyone, but she did enjoy watching the others from the sidelines.

The Sun guardian was the one that had caught her attention and held it fast. He had for a while, he just didn't know it. There was something in his manner that inexplicably attracted her to him. She felt a little of the darkness inside her melt away whenever he was around and especially when he was talking to her. Feeling absolutely torn between wanting to experience that feeling again and needing to keep to herself depressed her more than she thought it would.

So, finding no sufficient alternative save the drinks nearby, drink she did.

As the party wound down and everybody was heading out, Ryohei noticed something in the corner of his eye. It was a nice trick the mist guardians used. The only way you could actually see anything amiss was out of the corner of your eye. Mukuro was not the one responsible. Perhaps it was Chrome?

Turning his gaze to the banquet table, he saw her there holding her glass and wobbling slightly. She was about to fall forward and, faster than he had thought was actually possible, he was at her side and holding her up. This seemed to startle her out of her stupor. He smiled seeing her in such a state. It was a rare sight.

"Ano... Hare-san... I'm sorry I didn't realise..."

"It's not good to drink to the extreme you know," he said in a big brother sort of way. His deep, raspy voice sounded like music to her ears and she couldn't help smiling. Helping her up, he took the glass from her hands and put it aside. Then, in a rather uncharacteristic show, swept her off her feet and carried her out of the room.

"Eto... I... I can w... walk by myself... Please... please put me down..." she said in a weak voice. Somehow, the situation had broken through her haziness and the sheer embarrassment of being carried like that was mortifying. What if the others saw? She couldn't bear it. But he wouldn't put her down.

"That would be an extremely bad thing, don't you think? I can't let a young lady stagger up to her room when I am there now, can I?"

Flushing a delightful pink in his arms, she said no more until they were at her door. There he set her on the ground and waited for her to regain her balance. It was a good thing he hadn't left her. It would be a little impossible for her to make her way to her room otherwise.

"Thank... you," she said timidly. She looked up to meet his gaze and froze. It seemed the same feeling came over him since the friendly gaze he had turned on her turned to... something else, something she didn't quite recognise.

Maybe he'd had too much to drink. That was probably the case, but the little Mist Guardian was looking exceptionally lovely by the lamp-light, not that she hadn't always been pretty. He had always figured she wasn't interested in him and had Mukuro anyway so she was off-limits. At any rate, she had never shown any undue interest in anyone and he had been happy just to be a part of her life.

Ryohei was a man of action and he was used to adrenaline coursing his veins. He felt it every time he was practicing his boxing and was participating in the championship matches...

It didn't make sense that he should be feeling his blood pumping right at that moment did it? She hadn't been heavy and he had been practicing with much heavier objects for a long time. His stamina and endurance were something to behold. But if he hadn't exerted himself, why was he...?

He found himself being drawn inexorably forward. Her one purple eye seemed to return his gaze. In it, he saw hope and fear and longing... he didn't quite know what it was about her that made him want to... want to...

And then their lips met. She made a small sound almost like a squeak that he found utterly irresistible. Her back was up against her door as his lips continued their assault on hers. She tasted of brandy. She had had quite a few glasses. She also somehow smelled of lilac and vanilla. He took her in, his senses being bombarded with new information his slightly addled mind could hardly concentrate on.

Then her tongue met his searching one and for that unbelievable wonderful moment, the world was lost to them. Her hands were around his neck as she kissed him back with a fire he wasn't expecting. His were cupping the curve of her waist and the back of her head, struggling to keep her in place, in his arms...

And then the echo of a door opening and shutting in another hallway startled them apart. Chrome looked at Ryohei a little panicked. He looked at her a little confused. After awkward goodnights, he left her there and walked steadily down the hall to his own room.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

It was a full week until Ryohei could think properly again, or at least a close second. He had been uncharacteristically quiet the last few days and his friends were worried about him. It was a simple mistake, he had thought, and a drunken one at that. He could easily just move on as if nothing had happened.

But whenever he saw Chrome, he could tell that she remembered. He himself could not possibly forget. Whenever he saw her, it would all come rushing back. The sights, the sounds, the warmth, the rapturous feeling that he had achieved something great...

And it was horrible.

He couldn't take it any more TO THE EXTREME! She hadn't been playing a trick with her mist. It had all been too real. And Chrome wasn't the type. But now, now he wanted to feel it again. It killed him to think that if they left it long enough, some other guy would get to experience all that awesome energy again...

And so he came to a decision.

Catching her alone in the reading room he walked in taking very determined steps towards her. Chrome looked up as he came in and nearly dropped her book. Without hesitation, he raised her to her feet, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly on the lips.

To say that Chrome was shocked was the understatement of the century. Her book fell out of her hands as she realised what was happening. Perhaps she should fight him. He was the mighty Sun Guardian and she, the hidden Mist. She had no business being in any sort of relationship with him.

That kiss they had previously shared had played in her mind almost constantly since that night. Whenever their gazes met, she would turn away flushing and leave the room when she could. It was not right that she taint him with her darkness after all...

But when he held her like that and his kisses grew insistent, he will to resist crumbled to dust. When he finally did pull away, it was to see her reaction. He had not really thought this through very well and admittedly, he hardly ever thought through things, but if she rejected him now, it would be a crushing blow.

But he saw none of that from her. Instead, she smiled hesitantly. It seemed she was hoping for the same thing.

"I... I'm extremely sorry... I..."

"No... It's okay... really... ano..."

He chuckled. She smiled, truly smiled for the first time in a long time. He had never been lost for words before but Chrome seemed to do something to him. As their lips met once more, they let themselves revel in the wonder and the beauty that was a mutual romance neither he nor she even imagined in their wildest dreams would or even could happen.


End file.
